ASLEF Political Fund review ballot

16 June 2014

July 1 –July 28 2014

ASLEF currently has a political fund to ensure that we can lawfully campaign in the political arena. Every10 years we are required to put to vote whether to continue to have this fund. The next ballot takes place in July 2014.

What does the political fund pay for?

• It pays for the production and distribution of campaign materials.

• Campaigning for or against a political policy, direction or manifesto of a political party.

• Exposing political attacks on workers.

• Advertising in support of or against a policy.

• Any expenditure on voter registration – which we need to ensure working people keep their vote.

Over the last ten years the political fund has been used to support ASLEF’s campaigning work against rail privatisation and for more freight on rail as well as broader campaigns against the privatisation of public services, cuts and austerity measures. It has been used to lobby against government attacks on employment rights and workplace protections, to oppose right wing fascist groups, to promote equality, to defend our support for High Speed Two, to oppose the European Union’s 4th Railway package and to voice our solidarity with international campaigns.

The political fund is a fund to support ASLEF’s political campaigning NOT political parties. The fund allows us to speak out on political matters, no matter who the party of government or the party of opposition may be. ASLEF is affiliated to the Labour party – as set out in our rule book and voted for by members at our conference – but the political fund is not a fund for the Labour party.

The political fund is used to lobby MPs over the impact of national policies and to support ASLEF members who are councillors and working at a local and community level.

‘We still face threats from Europe with the 4th railway package, driver licensing and the possibility of a referendum on our membership of the European Union. Without the political fund, we will not be able to fight our influence, any of these.’

We believe that now more than ever the services we use, work in and pay for and our communities are under attack: We need this fund.